Teaching article
A tie is a result; a missing response is not a preference
Record equal counts and absent responses without inventing a preference.
Preserve both features in the survey record. Forcing a single winner or silently assigning an unanswered item to a category changes the evidence the class actually collected.
Keep ties and missing responses visible rather than forcing a winner. An absent response may have several explanations beyond a preference.
Report the uncertainty visibly
If two categories each have four responses, neither alone is the most frequently selected category.
Identify equal category counts. Separate missing responses from recorded choices. Describe the result accurately.
Which statement preserves the uncertainty? Use clearly labelled no-response spaces.
A missing response does not mean dislike.
Resources
- Reflection Journal Template — Use the blank reflection space for observations; write the measurement units and setup separately.
Further reading
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